Perceptions
by AnimusOrigo
Summary: A distress call comes to the Normandy, causing Commander Charles Shepard's traumatic past with batarians to bubble up to the surface. A young man's traumatic present resolves as a result, but the ghostly remnants of their past experiences remain in each other as both throw themselves onward. (On indefinite hiatus. I like the concept enough to repurpose this into an original novel.)
1. Chapter 1

**Perceptions**

Chapter One: The Ghosts of Mindoir

"_Commander. We're getting a distress signal from somewhere in the system. Want me to patch it through?"_

The rare time he could hear something serious from Joker snapped the weary Commander from his daze. He stared blankly at the galaxy map in the control center for a few seconds more before answering, "You got it, Joker." He hand reached up and rubbed at his mustache, fingers travelling downward to where it connected to his full sideburns. His jaw shifted as the static started to resonate, shaven but stubbly chin descending. He kept his mouth closed as the first voices poured through.

It was nothing unusual. It was the usual Alliance jargon and protocol given by the person sending the beacon, the man's voice shaky but calm. Though, when he had heard the words, "Batarian slavers" was when the pit of his gut lit up and his chest started to heat in reflexive anger. His fingers curled up, stubby appendages bent in crooked angles in his brief moment of cracked composure. He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes. During his exhale, he opened them and spoke out, "Punch in the coordinates, Joker. I'll be getting ready."

"Got'cha, Chuck." The pilot replied.

Shepard ran a hand through his short, red hair as he walked down the small steps that led to the galaxy map. He continued towards the lift and pressed the button, walking inside as the door opened. He punched in the floor and waited for the lift to take him where he needed to be. Every second he spent idle was dreadful, old hatreds and anxieties bubbling to the surface of his thoughts. The batarians had slaughtered everyone he had loved at one point in Mindoir, his home when he was sixteen. It had been ten years since then, and only now did the wound feel as fresh as it did then.

He kept his stare forward as the lift door opened once more, marching forward towards the armory and his locker. While the burly man donned his armor and equipped his weapons, he looked to the two aliens who also resided in the armory. "Wrex. Garrus. You both are coming with me for this." He simply said, while attempting to hide the change in emotional state.

The krogan and turian either didn't notice or didn't care. Wrex gave a simple, affirmative nod. "Shepard."

Garrus looked up from the screen he had buried his nose in and looked to Shepard. "Of course, Commander."

The Commander snorted. "I told you. This isn't C-Sec. You can call me by my name."

The turian shifted his mandibles before he shrugged. "So, what do I call you then? Chuck? Shepard?"

Shepard shrugged back. "Whichever. Shepard, if you insist on formalities." He slung the last of his weapons on his back and hip before he headed back down to the lift. The two aliens followed. He opened the door and stepped inside, waiting for the other two to step in with him before he closed the door with a push of a button. The lift started to ascend.

Garrus sized up the Commander with his beady eyes, squinting before he spoke. "If I didn't know any better, Shepard, I'd say you were a bit tense. It's unlike you." The turian's accusations, his voice, and his flanging resonated at just the right frequency to tense Chuck further.

The Commander took in another deep breath. There was no reason to break composure, especially before a mission. "I'm fine, Garrus."

The krogan let out a rumble. "I'm sure. I'm guessing the fact we're dealing with batarian slavers is just a coincidence."

The lift door opened. Shepard stepped out without a reply, though his naturally warm face was uncharacteristically soured. The Commander took his steps down the CIC, the knot in the pit of his stomach tightening as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

Joker eyed the approaching man over. "Commander?" The pilot raised a brow at his superior. "You alright? I don't think I've ever seen you look like someone pissed in your cereal."

Shepard thinned his lips. "I'm fine. An old wound got a little more fresh."

The krogan shrugged. "I'm sure you'll handle it." He grunted out.

Joker shrugged, and punched n a few buttons. "We'll be landing soon. We weren't too far from the planet when we got the distress beacon."

The Commander nodded. "I see. Anything you can tell me about the planet itself?"

The pilot nodded back. "Yeah. It's a small planet, with half of Earth's gravity. It's also colonized by batarians, and used for slave labor. The beacon came from one of the mines, at least from what the ship's scanners tell me. We'll be dropping you off at the entrance, surprising enough. It seems whatever sent the beacon was able to clear that much off."

The Commander did not seem very comforted by the news, but he wasn't anymore put off than he already was. He stood quietly as he gripped the pistol as his side, fingers dancing along the handle.

As they approached the atmosphere, Wrex spoke up. "Hah. Haven't seen Shepard itching this much for a fight, before. I kinda' like this."

The commander knit his bushy brows together. "I suppose. This is just a bit personal for me, is all. This brings back thoughts of Mindoir." He shook his head. "But I'll keep my head cool."

Joker spoke up once more. "Alright. We're about to land. Get ready."

Shepard took his steps towards the exit, the other two following him. The mechanical, female voice spoke as the three approached the door. "Stabilizing interior pressure to match exterior pressure." Was all it said, as usual. After a few moments, the door opened. "Logged. The Commander has left the Normandy. XO Pressly has the Deck."

Shepard took his first steps outside. It was an arid planet, and while it's cool enough to seem like it could support water, it was apparent the planet couldn't sustain such a thing. The air was dry, the crust of the planet dark. It looked carbon heavy. The sky was darkened by night, a blanket of stars giving little light. The mine entrance itself look lit, and empty. There were signs of struggle as the three walked closer. Though they stayed near anything that looked like cover.

They could see bodies of both humans and batarians, the latter outnumbered the former considerably. Some looked like they were simple, but ragged civilians. Even fewer were some scattered bodies of Alliance military. The smell was starting to rise, the rotting blood and flesh of the bodies scant, it seems this was a rather recent fight.

Garrus finally spoke up. "These bodies look like they might have only just recently started to go cold. Whatever's going on in there might not be finished yet. We should be ready for anything." He took out his assault rifle from the strap on his back.

Wrex gave a small snort, and then a rumbling laugh. "Good. That means we haven't missed all of the fun." He then reached for his shotgun.

Shepard gave a small shrug. "I hope you're both wrong and right, Wrex. I don't want to see this, but I also want to do something before it's too late."

Silence was had when they stepped into the entrance of the mine. While it was somewhat darker, there were a few lights along the walls giving enough vision to go along the path. Shepard clicked a button as he took out his own assault rifle, a small beam of white light illuminating the path even more so that they could see further in. The mine looked like it had small veins of Palladium.

The silence was tense, the only noise were the shifting of small rocks below them as they walked along the path, looking for signs of activity in the darkness. Soon enough, they could hear a few gunshots. It was then they were more on guard than ever. Shepard clutched his assault rifle tighter, raising it to get ready to peer into the sights.

The gunshots started to get louder, and they came to a corner. Shepard leaned against the wall and peered around the corner. Exposed to the three was a batarian who had not noticed the trio as of yet, shooting at a few of the slaves who had hid under their own piece of cover. Though, only one of the humans had a gun. It looked like a pistol of batarian craft, it seemed they might have stolen it from one of the slavers.

The Commander took careful aim. He lined the sights with the batarian's head. He pulled the trigger and held himself relatively still despite the recoil. The bullet pierced the slaver's head, the limp body crumpling to lie still on the ground.

The man with the gun looked surprised, the other two popping up to look at the three. Garrus bumped elbows, muttering a, "Nice shot." While he stepped to the Commander's side. Wrex followed suit, the three shrinking back at the sight of the two aliens.

Shepard raised his hand up. "They're with me. I'm Commander Chuck Shepard of the Normandy, Alliance Military. What happened here?" The knot in his stomach inhibited him none in regards to his speaking voice, the deep baritone both warm and confident.

The slave with the gun spoke up. It seemed he was a bit newer than the other two. His face wasn't as sunken as the other two, and his hair was shorter. He also looked younger than the other two, surprisingly. The other two were older men. Their hair was matted and greyed, rail thin and ghostly. It wasn't a question as to who was going to lead.

The younger one, one who looked slightly older than voting age on Earth, awkwardly reloaded the thermal heat clip. He took in a deep breath. "My name is Derek Morris. Alliance military found us. The batarians didn't want to release the slaves. Then they started shooting. Some of the soldiers were killed, and now the remaining ones are trying to free the rest of the slaves in this mine. Though they're thinking of extraction and taking who they can if any reinforcements come." His voice was definitely young, but ragged from constant work. He seemed eerily calm with his tone of voice, though his fingers trembled at the trigger.

Commander Shepard nodded. "Then we can't waste any time. The path behind us is clear. Get to the mine exist and get to the frigate waiting." He looked into his omni tool and tapped something on it. "Joker. Path's clear, right?"

The pilot replied. "Looks clear to me."

The young man shook his head. "You two. Harold, Barry. Get to the ship thing." He pointed to the two older men. "I'll stay with the Commander."

Shepard shook his head. "You go, too. We can handle this."

The young man shook his head again. "No. I'm not. I need to help. I don't want to do nothing. I need to help. I want everyone out."

Wrex grunted. Garrus sighed. "Look, Shepard. We need to go. I'm sure he can at least not be in the way. He might even get a shot in."

The two haggard men remained silent. They nodded, and started to head towards the exit. Shepard spoke into his omni-tool again. "Expect two men heading to the Normandy. Let them in."

Joker spoke up. "Copy that, Chuck."

Shepard hefted his assault rifle and beckoned his newly expanded squad over. "You know how many are in this mine, Derek?"

He stared forward, and then closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath and took a few moments. "There are seven slaves and five batarians in this mine. I'll lead the way."

The Commander quirked a brow and continued forward. "Alright, then."

_New gunshots barely echo softly, sounding like faint taps resonating through the slaver's mines._


	2. Chapter 2

**Perceptions**

Chapter Two: Extraction

The gunshots only grew louder. Shepard hefted his assault rifle and took aim when the sounds got close. Derek halted at another corner, though he did not peer around it. He closed his eyes once more, taking in several deep breaths.

Wrex let out a grunt. "What's the hold up?" He barked.

Derek put a finger to his lips. "Not too loud. There are two batarians around the corner. They've got a miner cornered. Another young one, too small to be working the mines. They seem to be waiting for something. We blow our cover, and she's gone."

Chuck quirked a bushy brow. "How'd you figure that one out? Have any sensors we can't see?"

The lanky young man shook his head. "Nothing I can elaborate on. If any of you can take them out without them noticing, do so now." His voice was hushed, an eerie calm resonating to the three of them.

Sheaprd looked to his two teammates, giving a knowing grin. "Garrus. I want you to take aim. Snipe one of them. Wrex, I want a stasis field on the other. That should dispatch them before they know what hit them."

The aliens nodded. Garrus reached back and switched his guns while he peered around the corner slowly. He took aim quietly, while the lumbering battlemaster pointed at one of the batarians. Wrex gave a countdown with his fingers. The next sound was that of a sniper rifle firing, one of the batarians falling limp to the ground. A pool of blood started to form around its head as the other slaver found himself helpless. Shepard turned the corner and took out his pistol. As the stasis field lifted, the Commander pulled the trigger.

Wrex gave a snort as he looked to his Commander. "This is new. Usually you don't pull the trigger so fast. I've gotten used to you asking for their motivations."

Shepard shook his head. "I already know their motivation and their methods. They're slavers, and nothing more." He holstered his pistol and looked to the girl in the corner. She looked a scant fourteen or so, youth muddled by sunken cheeks and sullen hair. "It's safe behind us. Run to the exit, and get to the ship. Everything's okay."

The girl nodded, and started to briskly walk away. "Thank you." She managed.

The Commander took out his assault rifle once more. "Let's go. There are three more batarians and six more civilians."

Derek nodded, and started to walk once more. "They're clustered up, now. They might be holding them hostage and waiting for reinforcements. It's best we hurry."

The squad proceeded for what felt like minutes before they found a door. It was shut, a keypad at the center. Garrus stepped forward. "Allow me." He started to tap buttons, looking to his omni-tool occasionally.

Derek spoke up. "Get to cover. They're expecting us. There's one approaching the door as we speak." He spoke quietly, but with urgency.

Wrex and Shepard gave skeptical glances, and exchanged looked of befuddlement before nodding. Wrex took to the side of the door. Shepard took to a formation of rock for cover. Garrus backed away slowly, omni-tool held up as he let a finger hover over it.

Derek took to another formation further back from the Commander. Garrus held up a hand, counting down from three before he opened up the door with a touch of the omni-tool.

The first thing to come out of the door was a missle, flying out and hitting the back of the tunnel with a loud crash and explosion. Wrex responded with a roar and a shotgun blast to the sternum, the slaver flying back with a gurgling cry.

The slaver choked out an incomprehensible set of last words before his body stilled. Shepard followed Wrex inside, the other two following in tow.

Shepard pointed his rifle, seeing the remaining refugees huddled against the wall. Next to them were the corpses of Alliance military who had tried to help. The numbers disadvantage was one thing, but it seems the aliens got the jump on the soldiers as well. A batarian held a gun to the helpless group, twofold gaze cast on the four-man crew. "I would suggest putting your guns down. Your military has no right to spit on our traditions."

Shepard spat out his response, indignant fury sharpening his usually cool tongue. "You have no right to capture our race against their will!"

Garrus peered nervously between the two groups. "No one has to get hurt. This can end peacefully."

The slaver snorted. "It did not start peacefully. I see no reason for it to end such a way."

The Commander squeezed the handle, trigger finger trembling. "Of course it didn't. It started with you taking innocents."

The batarian gave a low laugh. "You humans expand too close to our territory, and come crying when the results crash upon you. Typical."

Wrex shook his head. He looked to the Derek. "Where's the other guy?" He whispered.

The slaver barked. "No scheming! Another word and these men are dead. Guns down."

Shepard gave a quick glance to Wrex, the krogan giving nothing more than a grunt before he put the batarian in a stasis field. The Commander trotted up to the alien, staring coldly before shooting him in the forehead once more.

The crowd winced, but gave sighs of relief as they started to crowd around Shepard.

Derek whipped his head. He threw his hand up, and let loose a vaguely blue, bright bolt towards the Commander.

Wrex and Garrus pointed their guns before noticing something. The bolt didn't hit Chuck. Instead, a batarian's tactical cloak shorted while the body crumpled to the ground. It held a sub-machine gun in his hand, clutched in tightly in its hand.

Shepard widened his eyes at the display all the while. He looked at the crumpled heap of a body. A large chunk of the slaver's head was missing, the blood starting flow freely from the fatal wound. "Wh-." He stammered out. "Was that some sort of biotics? I mean, well. Thank you. I owe you one, but give some warning next time. My squad nearly filled you with lead." His hardened face showed clearly he knew little on what to make of the previous thirty seconds.

Derek gave a simple nod, though he reached up to rub the back of his neck as well. An indicator of unsure anxiety juxtaposed every confident motion. "I would have, believe me. It just-… if I said something, he would have taken his shot when he knew his cover was blown."

Wrex gave a shrug. "He raises a good point. Nice shooting, kid. What the hell kind of biotics were those, though? I'd like something that precise."

Derek shook his head. "They're not biotics. I'll explain later. We need to get to the ship before the reinforcements arrive."

Commander Shepard looked to the group. "Where are the rest of the Alliance military?"

One miner spoke up, a middle-aged man covered in dirt. "They-… they took what they could. They left when they took too many heavy losses and promised there'd be another detachment inbound. At least that's what I heard when they pulled back."

Shepard shook his head. He waved the group over while he headed off for the exit. "Come with me. I'll tell them everything's clear for now." He brought up his omni-tool, tapping a few displays. "Is anyone on this channel? This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy. Does anyone copy?"

He soon got a response while he walked along the dimly lit tunnels of the mine. "We copy. A ship had just been sent out near your location. What's your status?" A male voice said from the device.

Shepard spoke once more. "We've cleared out the remaining batarains and gathered the rest of the surviving miners. We're heading for the Normandy now."

The voice replied. "Copy that. We have the others en route to the Citadel."

Chuck spoke one last time. "The Normandy will meet you there. Commander Shepard out." He tapped the display of the omni-tool, the static of the conversation fading.

Soon enough, they were outside. It was not much brighter than it was in the mine, but the Normandy was clear. The group made their way towards the Normandy when Joker came up on the comm. "You might wanna' double-time it, Chuck. We just picked up a batarian ship about to land." There was murmuring among the miners after that.

Shepard motioned to the ship urgently. "You heard him. Run. Joker, open up the ship. We need to get in and depart."

The pilot's voice chirped once more. "Aye-aye, Commander." The Normandy's door started to open up as the group started to jog towards the ship. Though, the murmuring became more panicked at the sounds of another ship started to become audible.

Shepard lagged behind intentionally to usher miners into the ship. "Go, go! We'll cover your exit!" he shouted as the new ship's doors opened up. From within the batarians poured through, at least ten of them among their ranks. They opened fire upon the humans.

Bullets pinged the ship, the Commander hurriedly ushering the remaining people into the Normandy. Wrex and Garrus step in, along with Derek.

One miner was unlucky enough to get a bullet lodged into his shoulder, punctuated by a sharp cry. A missile screamed through the air and headed for the airlock, as the two aliens and the Commander make their last steps into safety.

Derek threw his hand up as the missile neared the airlock. He shouted sharply, "Guard!" A barrier of something vaguely blue appeared, intercepting the missile and letting the explosion only brush the hull.

The door quickly closed on Shepard's shout. The Normandy started to whirr and lift off into the air, Joker clenching his teeth at the cockpit. With clever evasive maneuvers, the Normandy found itself free of direct contact with missiles as it headed off into the atmosphere. The group stared at Derek, both shocked and grateful.

The former slaves gathered at the CIC, Shepard taking in a deep breath before speaking. "I'm glad we were able to save you from what happened. Once we get to the Citadel, we'll be able to get you the help you need to get you back to a regular life. If anyone has any injuries, Garrus will take you to the med bay to see Doctor Chakwas."

Garrus waved a hand over, as he walked off. Three of the miners followed suit.

Joker then spoke up. "Alright. Got a call from one of the Alliance mil. Heading to the Citadel. It'll be about twelve hours before we hit the Mass Relay."

Shepard spoke up. "Thanks, Joker."

Wrex grunted. "I'll be where I'm usually at." He then lumbered off towards the lift.

Chuck nodded, and looked to the remaining five, then to the quarian as she approached. She spoke, her voice harmonized by the suit's speaker. "I will be taking the rest to the other miners. I'm sure they will need their rest."

The Commander gave her a small grin. "Thanks, Tali." He then casted his gaze upon the young man. "Though, I want to speak with Derek. He has a lot to explain."

Derek let a thin brow rise at Shepard. "I see. I'll, er-." His eyes shifted, lips pursing. "I want to speak of this in private, if that's okay."

Chuck gave the young man a nod. "Of course. Whatever makes you comfortable." He then waved to the quarian. "Take care of the rest, will you Tali?"

Tali'Zorah nodded. "Of course, Commander." She then started to walk off, the remaining haggard men following.

Shepard strode off, beckoning Derek with a finger. "Come. We'll speak in my personal quarters. We have a lot to talk about."

The lanky young man heaved out a sigh, the nervous knot wringing in stomach gave the sound an anxious edge. He let his arms hug himself, the first non-contradictory act of nervousness made apparent to the Commander. His eyes darted around the ship, the interior was painted darkly while lights shined brightly. He took in the inside of the ship rather than think about the conversation ahead.

Chuck furrowed his brow as he stepped into the lift, waiting for the other to close in. He shut the lift door and pressed a button, the elevator starting to rise up. There was quite a bit of time before it stopped, a lingering awkward silence settling before the door opened once more.

Shepard gestured to the newly revealed room. It was somewhat cozy, though it had the same dark color scheme as the rest of his ship. The young man trotted towards the bed, sitting on it while he let a hand run through his matted hair.

"_So, Commander. Ask away, I guess."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Perceptions**

Chapter Three: Aura of the Mystics

Chuck Shepard gave young former-slave a searching stare. It was mostly to get a good look at him, finally. His face was soft, but it was clear his jaw and chin were angular and pointy. He would be the definition of a pretty-boy were it not for his sunken cheeks and eyes, along with his overgrown matted hair.

Derek looked up at the Commander with narrowed shoulders, though he took this time to take in the commander's features as well. Everything about the man was squared or rounded. His chopstache was thick and immaculate, his red hair short and well maintained. His nose was somewhat short and blunt, bushy brows hardened. While he seemed grizzled, his skin was still somewhat wrinkle-free and his eyes were still bright. His apparent age was far older than he most likely was.

The Commander spoke. "Derek. What is it that allows you to see and do such things?"

The young man looked nervous still, but he took in a deep breath. "I will tell you, but you must promise to believe me. You must also promise to not… er. Turn me over for research. I…" He gulped. "I don't want to be examined by some doctors. Bad things happen to people with talent who go to doctors."

Shepard blinks slowly. He tilts his head slightly at the response. "I promise."

Derek exhaled slowly. "I-… er. I can see the ether. I see the ether that forms all around us, and within us. It's a life force, present in everyone. Everyone has an aura, the ether that they exude naturally. It's different for everyone, the color and intensity, but I'm the only one I know that can actually see it."

Chuck stares at the young man critically. He paced around the bed, before speaking. "That's… not the strangest thing I've heard. At least since my mission has started. So you can see… er, ether. You can see through walls, now?"

Derek shook his head. "Not quite. I can only detect living beings through solid objects by finding their aura."

Shepard nodded slowly. "I see. If these auras are different for everyone, how did you know who the civilians were and who the batarians were?"

The young man crossed his arms. "Well. While everyone's aura is unique, I can detect negative emotions and prolonged malicious intent. Those kinds of things cling to the ether they exude. The batarians were… well. They were pretty close to red."

Shepard nods. "So you're saying you can measure someone's emotions by their aura?"

Derek nods. "Yes. When someone has emotions that are consistently negative and their outlook is… less than savory, their aura comes closer to red. When a person's more noble, their aura moves closer to blue. Most people have a mild aura that's mostly purple. It mostly leans towards blue, if only slightly."

Shepard strokes his bare chin in thought. "I see." He took a moment to think. "That's… honestly incredible, if this is all true. Tell me what my aura is, then. I'm curious." He placed his other hand on his hip.

The young man took in a deep breath, and stared at the Commander for a few seconds. "Your aura is… the most interesting one yet." He ran a hand through his messy hair. "It's mostly blue. But that's not the interesting part. For your apparent age, it seems more subtle than most. But it has this quiet intensity about it. Like what I'm seeing is only scratching the surface. It's like you've yet to even see your own potential."

The Commander gave a silent exhale. "That's quite a lot of information from just a few seconds of staring at me. But I know you do more than a few parlor tricks. What were those things you did back at the planet?"

Derek raised his hand. "I can project my aura, I can command my own ether. It's… limited so far. I hadn't gotten much time to see what all it could do before…. It."

Shepard gave a sullen expression, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder. "It'll be alright, now. Could you explain a bit more, though?"

Derek pointed at the door. "Guard." He spoke, before a bluish barrier covered the door out. "I project my aura. The ether where I designates gathers, and it bunches up to become really dense." The mystical shield faded soon after he put it up. "It doesn't last too long, but it shields people from harm. It's my aura guard."

The Commander quirked a brow. "How much can you do that?"

The ragged ether user shrugged. "As long as I want. It's not like biotics where it takes away from your body's energy. I'm able to freely manipulate my aura. The downside is, I only have so much aura to use at once."

Chuck gave the boy a bewildered stare. "Well. That's-… that's pretty useful, actually. And that thing you shot?"

Derek put his hand back to his side on the bed. "That was my ether missile. I can project my aura at high speeds. It can shape it to knock things over, or pierce through them."

The Commander sat down on the bed. "So why is it you don't want to reveal this to anyone?"

The young man bit his lip. "Because bad things happen when you're the first to do something. At least now. They put you under tests. They give you drugs, they perform procedures. I know what they do to kids with biotic potential. It's never good. I don't want that." The look he gave Shepard was pleading, his hands clenching.

The Commander let out a sigh. "Your secret's safe with me, Derek. But… what do you plan to do when you get to the Citadel? You have a gift, why not use it?"

Derek looked to the ground. "I-. I don't know. I just want to test my abilities. I want to train. I just don't know how I'd do that and also eat."

Shepard took in a deep breath. "We'll see what we can do for you, Derek."

The ragged young adult gulped. But his next words were much less anxious. "Thank you, Commander Shepard. I really do owe you one. I wasn't sure what I'd really do if you and your crew hadn't come along. You weren't a second too soon, you saw how close we were as it was to running into reinforcements. I wouldn't be able to hold off that many, even with my aura."

Chuck placed a hand on Derek's shoulder. "It's no problem, Derek. I'm happy to see people come out of there alive." He gave a grin, but soon it faded when his next statement was said. "My friends and family were slaughtered in Mindoir by batarian slavers. So it's not a problem to come down and show them what for, y'know?" He shrugged.

Derek gave a small nod. "I see. Thank you, still. You saved my life."

Commander Shepard patted Derek's shoulder again. "Go get some rest. You'll need it." He pushed himself up from the bed, pulling the young man by the hand and letting go once he was up. He made his way to the lift and tapped a button. He waited for the elevator to come silently, obviously deep in his own thoughts.

Shepard's aura flickered just once during that period. To Derek, it seemed that the Commander was struggling to let go of the past he mentioned.

_Though, he can't blame him. He could barely let go of the past hour, much less a year of his life._


	4. Chapter 4

**Perceptions**

Chapter Four: Faces of a Movement

Derek awoke with a start. He rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the white lights of the Normandy. The last thing he remembered was crashing onto the bed when Shepard escorted him to the crew's barracks. He looked at the clock on the wall and saw that he slept for a full ten or so hours. He wiped his hair, which had been cleaned after the brief washing he did before he settled. The young man crawled out of bed, still in his rags from his time as a slave. He couldn't wait until he was in something clean.

He groggily shuffled towards the other miners. They were always quiet. The chips the batarians put in the rebellious ones had left them cognitively impaired. He was always thankful that he could keep his mind, but lamented the others' fate. The most he could do was hope they could fully recover. He gave a smile and a nod to those he passed before seeing one of the aliens walking past when he left the barracks.

It was an asari. She gave a smile, and regarded Derek with a nod. "It's good to see we made it in time. You must be glad to finally be out of there."

The young adult gave a nod. "Indeed. Shepard has a capable crew on his hands. You all have my gratitude. My name is Derek Morris."

She unclasped her hands from her back. "Liara T'Soni. It's nice to meet you. If you have any preparations, I'd make them. We've already hit the relay a while ago, and should be at the Citadel shortly. "

Derek gave a smile. "Thank you, Liara. He reached up and adjusted the part in his hair, looking midly frustrated for a moment before looking back to the asari.

Joker's voice resonated through the room through the speakers. "We've just requested permission to dock into the Citadel. Get ready to head on out if you're going."

Liara and Derek both looked up while he spoke. Liara broke the silence afterward. "Let's go. I'm sure Shepard and the rest are waiting for you."

Derek shrugged. "I'm sure. I just can't wait to get a haircut, and some fresh clothes. Maybe even a pistol."

Liara blinks as the both walked towards the CIC. "A pistol?"

The young man gave a nod. "Yeah. A pistol. I-." He took in a deep breath. "I really don't want to be unarmed anymore. I don't want to be taken again, so I'm going to always have a pistol." As they reached the bridge, he saw Shepard and the rest of the slaves. It seems Tali was talking to the girl that they took out of the corner. Her smile brightened her face considerably. Derek looked to the Commander, giving a nod.

Shepard smiled. "It seems like you rested well. You were knocked as soon as you hit the bed."

Derek rubbed his neck. "I suppose. I guess not having any decent sleep for a year makes you appreciate a good bed."

Chuck patted the young man on the shoulder. "I suppose so." He says, as he steps towards the airlock. He presses a few buttons before the door opens, leading to the hull exit.

The rest follow him, as the second door opened to see the Citadel's docking port. A vast, somewhat dark open area smattered with metallic greys and dark blues. The group of people head towards the elevator at the end, as Shepard tapped another button on his omni-tool.

The elevator door opens, the group walking into it. Derek's insides started to feel like they were shifting downwards as the lift starts to descend. When he looked out to the Citadel was when the scope had hit him full force. For the first time in a year or so, he saw actual civilization. A massive view of just a fraction of the buildings and structures in the Citadel was available to look at. He must have looked overwhelmed, as the Commander placed a hand on his shoulder. Derek took in a deep breath, as the elevator stopped and its door opened.

The young adult took his first steps out, looking around at what he recalls as the Presidium. The streets were bustling, and everything was bright. The sheer amount of people had mystified him He went pale for a mere moment before taking in another deep breath. Derek rubbed his temple with a couple of fingers and shook his head.

Shepard blinked. "You alright there?"

Derek nodded. "Yeah, I'm-." He shook his head again. "I'm not used to a lot of people in one place, anymore. I just need a few moments to adjust, is all."

Shepard patted him on the shoulder once more. He guided the group through the Citadel streets, inhabitants giving skeptical glances at the bunch of people in tattered rags. The people that stayed with them at this point were Liara and Garrus. The other crewmembers seemed to have walked off, having their own business within the Citadel.

Soon enough, they reached the Embassies. Shepard opened the door and let the group of former slaves all go in first. Standing in the room a dark-skinned man, who had lofted brows in reaction to such a gathering.

The man looked to Chuck. "Charles? What is the meaning of this?"

The Commander stepped in front of the group. "Well, Udina, these are the slaves we freed from the batarians. I figured if the Council saw these people, maybe they would crack down on the batarian's rampant slavery. I imagine this might interest you."

While Shepard talked to Udina, Derek peered at him searchingly. The man's aura was something. It burned brightly, a zealot's aura. It leaned towards blue, but it wasn't quite. But it seemed malleable, as if it were a candle that could blaze at anything if it were tempted. The ether seer found himself uncomfortable, but it seemed the Commander trusted him. At the very least, the politician seemed like a good tool to Shepard.

Udina nodded. "I see. You're at least putting an effort on humanity's behalf. I'm beginning to think you're alright, Shepard. It's good you're a Spectre, now."

That was when Derek's face lit up. He tilted his head at Shepard. "A Spectre? I-… that's…" He shook his head. "We have human Spectres now?"

Shepard nodded. "Singular. I'm the first and only human Spectre." He then looked to Udina. "How long will it take for you to set up something with the Council?"

The politician shrugged. "It could be a while. While I do so, it'd be best to make these men and women look acceptable. I'm sure they would love to be in fresh clothes."

Shepard gave a laugh. "Of course. We had none on the Normandy, so I guess now's a good time to outfit them. I'll run by a department store, then. It'll be on my credit chit."

Udina gave a nod. "Generous of you. I will work on setting up the meeting."

Chuck waved a hand. "C'mon. I'll have the men come with me. I'm sure Liara can handle the ladies." He looked to Garrus. "If you're sure you don't have anything else to do, Garrus, I'm sure you can watch some humans shop for clothes."

Garrus let out a small chuckle. "Mm. I'm sure their style will come in handy against Saren."

One of the miners, an older one who had retained his ability to maintain a conversation spoke up. "I am sure we can handle getting clothes. There's no need to babysit us." Derek himself knew him as Jason. He was one of the top engineers at Mindoir, if he remembered correctly.

The Spectre handed the older man the credit chit. "Alright. I appreciate it. This'll let me take care of a few things on the Citadel. I'll be on my comm, don't be afraid to use it." He took out his omni-tool, and handed the man a chit. "I'll transfer the funds you need to clothe all the people here."

Derek crossed his arms, and tilted his head. "I'll see you later then, Commander."

The Commander nods to Derek. "I'll see you later, kid." He said as he walked off, Liara and Garrus in tow.

The older man stroked his overgrown beard and waved the group over. "We'll check a map, and we'll get to a store."

Derek ran a hand through his hair. "And maybe a barber."

Jason grinned. "Good thinking, Derek."

The teen took in a deep breath. He was starting to wonder things. He might have been saved… But how much of it was because of his humanity, and how much of it was because he was _human?_ He didn't want to be a poster child for batarian slavery. He was eighteen, and he had to make a difference with his gift. His future legacy would be cheapened by sympathy.

_He wanted his worth to be something he earned._


	5. Chapter 5

**Perceptions**

Chapter Five: Refresh and Retaliate

The ether seer had done the math regarding how many credits they had. Everyone was able to purchase at least two sets of clothes for themselves, along with a haircut. Udina wasn't kidding when he said that the Commander was being generous.

It was nothing terribly interesting, but it was refreshing. There was a comfort and a sense of pride in looking good, to Derek. He favored the cloth T-shirts with faded colors, red and grey. His pants were denim, and his footwear was simple running shoes. He, of course, got a lot of comments asking what century he lived in. Though, he always favored standing out. He looked like the people from the retro shows he watched growing up, and he liked that.

His new haircut wasn't any simpler to the Citadel populace. He dyed it red, but it wasn't a natural red. It was less like a ginger color and more like the primary color itself. It was short in the back, and the front was long enough to nearly come to his eyebrows and cover his ears. It was shaped and spiked somewhat in a way that made it look perpetually tussled.

He broke off from the group after that. He told Jason that he had something to take care of, and that he'd keep in touch on the comm.

The young adult walked through the Citadel. He needed some time alone, after having to pay attention to such a large amount of people. He got to breathe and decompress, despite the large crowd throughout the place. Everything was metallic and cool, hues ranging from sliver, to blue, and sometimes it had pastel lavender undertones if he wandered into the Presidium. The ether seer stuffed his hands into his pockets, and let his eyes wander as he aimlessly walked.

Though, his walk was put to an abrupt stop by a dark-skinned turian in C-Sec armor. "Stay back. There's an altercation in progress and-." Both people jumped and cringed at the sudden explosion. The turian's comm had frantic speech resonating through it. "We need backup. I repeat, we need back up! The batarians have rocket lauchers. Focus fire on the rocket launchers!" What Derek was surprised to hear something familiar. He heard a female quarian, the same voice as the one called Tali. The turian looked frantically between Derek and behind himself. "Kid. Get out of here. It isn't safe here." The turian turned and ran towards the explosion.

Derek crossed his arms. He took in a deep breath, and decided to take an alternate route towards the fight. He took the stairs up to look off a balcony. He looked off and saw about ten or eleven people. There were the six batarians, two of them having rocket launchers. He looked to the side he was on, and saw two C-Sec officers, with Garrus, Shepard, Tali, and Liara. Everyone was in cover, looking for an opening.

Liara sent out a singularity, two of the batarians getting caught in the radius. Unfortunately, the rocket launchers ran away from it as they saw it coming.

Derek clenched his teeth, but soon had an idea. He raised his hand and concentrated his aura. It slowly moved towards one of the heavy-weapons batarians. He concentrated the aura around the opening of the weapon, and hardened it to create a small aura guard.

The two aliens clicked the trigger of their weapons. One of them blew up before it even left the barrel, taking out one of the other gunmen as well as the wielder. The other rocket sails towards Garrus, as the turian tried to duck under cover.

Derek reflexively sent out an ether missile, the concentrated aura hurtling towards the rocket. It exploded mid-flight, the turian blown back but not burned by the resulting explosion. It left his own aura weak, the energy radiating from him in tatters. He was at his limit.

Shepard took the opportunity to aim his assault rifle. He pulled the trigger, bullets striking true and peppering the other heavy-weapons wielder.

All that was left was the last gunman. Tali pressed a few buttons on her omni-tool and sent out a combat drone. The spherical machine floated towards the last batarian and shot it several times, delivering a shock for good measure.

Commander Shepard stood up, and looked around. The way was clear, the only thing left were to collect the bodies. "Alright. Good job, everyone. Let C-Sec to their jobs and report this to the Cuncil, as well. This can't be a coincidence." He looked to his squad. "By the way. Nice overloading, and nice last second throw. Those rocket launchers were nothing."

Liara quirked a brow. "I-… didn't do that. I was still recharging."

"As was I." Said Tali.

Derek trotted down the stairs, waving. "Yo'! Those were me. I used my aura to block the rocket in its weapon and I destroyed the other one with a missile."

Garrus tilted his head. "I hardly recognize you. But, uh. What's aura, exactly?"

Derek waved a hand. "I'll explain later. In private."

Tali and Liara eyed the young man critically. Shepard ran up to the ether seer. "Where's the rest of the group? Why'd you think walking into a firefight was a bright idea?" He asked, almost as if chastising him.

The young adult snorted. "I told them I was taking a walk, which I did. I heard the explosion and saw a C-Sec officer run this way. I decided to help. If you hadn't noticed, I'm plenty capable of carrying my weight, and contributing to a team."

The Commander looked conflicted, but ultimately he holstered his assault rifle and beckoned the seer over. "C'mon. We'll gather the others and see if Udina's gotten the Council to listen to us. We have new info to present either way."

Tali walked towards the bodies, taking her omni-tool and scanning the batarian's bodies. "We'll see if there's any evidence on them. We might be able to establish their connection to the slavers on that planet."

Shepard nods. "Good thinking, Tali. Bring anything you come up with to the Embassy." He walked off towards the Presidium. Derek, Garrus, and Liara followed.

Garrus and Liara looked to Derek as they walked. Garrus spoke up. "What was it you used to do all that? Aura, you said?"

Liara speculated aloud. "Is it some sort of biotics?"

Derek shook his head. "No. It's… the ether. It's sort of like a life force, an energy in the air and within us. I can see it and manipulate it. It's really neat, but I can only do so much at once. What I did back there was stripping my aura bare-bones."

Garrus nods. "It's… certainly malleable. It seems you can do a lot of things with it, if you're resourceful enough."

Liara nods. "Indeed! I'd love to study how this aura works. This is very new to me."

Derek shrunk back at the offer, shoulders narrowing. He shook his head and frowned. "I'd-. I'd rather not be studied. It's a comfort thing."

Liara furrowed her brows. "I see. I won't cross that line. Maybe I could just… merely watch you work. Ask you questions."

Derek rubbed the back of his neck. "Watching and questions sound… better. Still sounds like studying."

Shepard took out his omni-tool, the orange glow burning brightly as he tapped the display. "Jason, you there? Wrap up, and meet us at the Embassy."

Jason's hoarse voice could be heard. "Got'cha. We're on our way, Chuck."

Derek let his hands rest at his sides as the group walked. They were all rather silent, as they briskly walked through the Citadel.

'_I think I know what I want to do with my powers.' Derek thought._


	6. Chapter 6

**Perceptions**

Chapter Six: Recruited

Derek sat back in one of the chairs at the Embassy. He watched as the group came in, freshly clothed and groomed. They seemed happier, some of them a little less quiet than usual as they talked amongst themselves. Shepard gave a warm smile and a nod as he approached them. "Welcome back. You all are looking great. Udina got us a meeting with the Council. We'll be able to talk to them about the batarians."

Jason nodded. "That's great. And, Derek. I'm sure your walk was nice, yeah?" He tilted his head. His beard was no longer unkempt, a square shape that was clearly managed. His hair was completely shaved, as well.

Derek gave a nervous smile and looked to Shepard. He shook his head. The young ether seer looked to the old man. "It wasn't anything exciting. It was nice to see more of the Citadel, though. Good to breathe."

The haggard man gave a warm smile. "Good to hear." He looks to Shepard. "When will the meeting be, then?"

Chuck strokes his chin. "Well, it will be about a month from now, unfortunately. But this will give me time to go back to tracking down Saren. The Council has been gracious enough to give you housing and counseling until then." He gestured to his own squad. "Gather the rest of who left. We'll be heading to the Normandy in an hour. We'll be going to Feros."

Garrus nodded. "Of course, Shepard." He said, as himself, Tali'Zorah, and Liara headed out.

Shepard gave a grin to the group before starting to turn for the exit. "Keep in touch, alright? I hope to hear more about you guys acclimatizing." He gave a wave, as he started walking.

Derek walked up, and grabbed Shepard's bicep. "Before you go, I want to speak in private." He looked up at the Commander that turned his head at the seer.

Chuck raised a brow. "Of course, Derek. Come outside."

Derek nodded and walked out of the room, Commander in tow. He closed the door and looked around. "About my situation. I do not look forward to… well, the civilian life. Too restrictive, too many peering eyes, and not to mention becoming the sudden poster boy for helpless victims. There's nothing wrong with Jason and the rest… but. It's not for me. This isn't what I should be doing." He took in a deep breath. "I want on your ship, Commander. I want to use my ether manipulation. I'll be the best ether seer in the galaxy. I want to be pushed to my limits."

Shepard matched the young adult's fierce gaze. The Commander had to admit, he was impressed by the ether seer's tenacity. The boy's ability to think on his feet had saved him and his crew twice. "I hope you're not making this decision lightly, Derek. I'm not even sure if I can get you on my ship."

Derek grinned. "You're the first human Spectre. No one's going to question your judgment. Last I checked, the Alliance didn't exactly recruit a ragtag squad of aliens either. Let's be real, I wouldn't be the one to turn heads unless they watched me work up close."

The Commander lofted his brows. "Bold. I could even accuse you of being cocky. I get you're trying to impress me, but flattery isn't going to get you anywhere with this soldier. But you have balls, and you have something useful I can't find anywhere else. You sure you're ready to head into the fire right after stepping out of the frying pan?" He crossed his arms as he eyed Derek, azure eyes piercing in their gaze.

Derek took in a deep breath. After a brief moment of consideration, his resolve hardened. "I can handle it. I've only scratched the surface of my potential. I can feel it inside of me. Serving on the Normandy will benefit us both."

Chuck pursed his lips, pausing for his own moment of introspection. But soon after, he gave a wry grin and held out his hand. "Welcome to the crew of the SSV Normandy, Derek." He pat the young man on the shoulder. "I guess we're going on another shopping spree. You'll need a set of armor and a gun or two. Even the best biotics aren't carried by their powers."

The ether seer grinned brightly. "Thank you, Commander. I won't let you down." He pumped his fist. Before the Spectre could turn, there was another hand on his forearm. It was Derek again. "Thanks." He said quietly. "I'm really in your debt."

Chuck gave a wink. "Well. It looks like you'll be paying it off in service." He said, clearly in jest. He lifted his arm and accessed his omni-tool. "I wired more credits into the account. Should be enough for a couple of guns, armor, and some miscellaneous travel supplies. Don't go nuts, but… go nuts." He gave a small, throaty laugh.

Derek snickered. "Thanks again. I'm sure I'll find what I need." He started to walk off, towards the Zakera Wards. "I'll see you in an hour, then."

Shepard merely gave a nod, before heading towards the docking bay.

It had been a little more than forty-five minutes, as Derek hefted his bags. The armor he had purchased was of decent quality, providing formidable protection with the flexibility he required. Most of it was a dull, nearly gunmetal light blue with yellow highlights. It bolstered his somewhat gangly frame, making him look less like a willow tree. He purchased a pistol, a Carnifex Handcannon. It had some kickback to it, but it wasn't anything he couldn't get used to. The other was a submachine pistol, the M-4 Shuriken, a gun he knew he could get past shields with. Both were firearms he'd have to train to keep steady under fire, but he had some time on the ship.

He had entered the last store on his trip to the docking bay. It was an electronics shop. The store was lit with a cool blue light, which contrasted with the various pieces of tech sitting on glass shelves with a warm orange light source under them.

The redhead reached for two things on the shelf. One was an omni-tool upgrade, one used to enable basic hacking. The other was a set of small, wireless earbuds. This was one of the few things he got for himself, other than a second set of civvies and hygiene products. He sat them on the clerk's counter, giving him a grin and a nod.

The salarian gave a friendly smile and scanned his items. Derek held out his credit chit and let the clerk scan it with his omni-tool. "Thank you! Tell your friends about this store. No better place for tech in the Wards!"

Derek nodded once more, and placed the new items in his bags. "Of course. See ya' later." He waved and walked off.

The Citadel was noisy; it was something hard to get used to. Murmurs never meant anything well in the mines. There were either harsh punishments incoming, or a riot. Sooner or later the latter resulted in the former. Derek took in a deep breath as he walked, opening his new earbuds and syncing them with his omni-tool. He didn't buy any music, yet, but there were a few default songs the software came with. They brought him some comfort, as he immersed himself in the asari electronic music. It wasn't like the stuff the clubs played, it was something smooth and mellow. The rhythm wasn't heart pumping like he'd have expected. Instead, it seemed to glide smoothly into his ears and lingered after each slow, deliberate note.

Soon enough, he found the elevator to the docking bay in the C-Sec offices. He pressed a button to open the elevator, tapping his foot as he waited. After a while the door and opened. Derek walked into it and tapped a few buttons again, punching in the floor number the Normandy was on. He checked the time on his omni-tool, and noticed he was cutting it close. He had only a few minutes before he was late.

But it was only thirty seconds before the elevator door opened once more, the ether seer seeing the Normandy. Just outside was Commander Shepard, tapping his foot as he noticed Derek exit the lift. "Cutting it close, soldier. I trust you got what you needed?"

Derek nodded. "Yeah-. I mean, yes sir." He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.

Shepard beckoned to the young adult by jerking his head towards the entrance.

Derek approached the ship, inhaling deeply.

"_Here we go."_


	7. Chapter 7

**Perceptions**

Chapter Seven: Integration

Shepard called a meeting just before the ship took off from the docking bay in the Citadel. Derek saw the crewmembers, soldiers and specialists that he'd met for a short time on his first time in the ship. Wrex, the krogan battlemaster, was eyeing the ether seer critically.

"So this baby pyjak here is a part of the crew? He looks like a stiff breeze could knock him over." The krogan barked.

But then Tali'Zorah, the quarian mechanic, stood up. "Hold up, Wrex." She spoke, her voice harmonized by the envrio-suit. "I've seen what he can do. In the Citadel, we were attacked by batarians. He managed to blow one of the heavy weapons guys up and save Garrus from another. I can vouch for him."

Derek smiled a bit at his defender. He gave the quarian a grateful nod.

Liara T'soni, an asari scientist and biotic, nodded. "Yes. He has some sort of power that none of us have. He's only explained a little bit, but I've seen the results personally."

Ashley Williams, an Alliance soldier, spoke up. "So what is it, then?"

Derek took in a deep breath, and looked to Commander Shepard.

Chuck scratched his thickly bearded jawline and egged the seer on with a nod. "This is your crew, now. Your secret will stay safe with us. You will trust them with your life as they trust you. You have to be ready to reveal things like this."

The young adult reached up to adjust the bangs of his hair, and stepped to the middle of the circle. "My name is Derek Morris. I'm an Ether Seer. Self-titled. I see the ether that clings to the air, and that comes from within us. The most visible kind of ether I see are auras every living being emanates. Every aura is different, the combinations of dispositions, strengths, and outlooks make each aura what it is. People with more noble intentions and positive outlooks are closer to blue. People who let negative, pessimistic vibes hang around them stain the aura red."

Kaiden Alenko, another Alliance soldier, spoke this time. "Unless he's here to talk Saren to death, I'm not sure why he's here."

Derek nodded. "Which is what I'm getting at. In addition to what I described, I can see auras behind solid objects. I can also project my own aura as a weapon or as a means to protect." He raised his hand, and took in a deep breath. A closed fist soon snapped into an open hand as his aura formed a bluish bubble around him.

Garrus crossed his arms, tilting his hand as his mandibles moved slightly. "I'm guessing that's how you blew up the guy with the rocket launcher. Resourceful. I see why Shepard said yes."

Ashley shrugged. "He's a bit young, if I say so myself. I mean… how old even are you, Derek?"

Derek blinked. "Er. Does anyone have the date?"

Shepard nodded. "It's September ninth."

The ether seer blinked again. "That makes me eighteen as of, uh. A week ago."

Kaiden quirked a brow at Derek, then to his Commander. "Cutting it close, Shepard."

Chuck Shepard gives a small shrug. "What matters is, he is here and he's capable. Anyone have any questions for him before you're dismissed?"

The meeting room was silent, the crew exchanging glances as Derek shifted. He snapped his fingers, the spherical wall of ether seeming to gather before it vanished around the ether seer.

Shepard looked around, and spoke again. "Dismissed. Our next mission is on Feros. I'll let you all know who's coming with me."

The crew dispersed, some going into the lift and others going to their station in the floor they were on. Derek looked to Shepard as he left. "Is there some sort of open place? I mean… one where I can practice using my aura."

The burly man stroked his fuzzy jaw, thinking for a moment. "Try the cargo hold. It should be open enough. If it's not, explore the ship. You might even make a few friends here. They're your crewmates, now. So don't be a stranger to them." Shepard patted the young man's shoulder, as he turned to head towards the CIC.

Derek nodded. "Thanks, Commander."

The red-haired man turned his head briefly to say as he continued walking. "Just call me Shepard."

Derek nodded again and hurried towards the lift. He adjusted his bangs and took in a deep breath. He saw his reflection on the metallic door. His dark, blood red hair made him happy. He had always wanted to dye it, but his grandmother always forbade it.

While he waited for the lift, the silence became unbearable. He had retreated to the thoughts in his head, the memories of his old colony surfacing like a dead body in an otherwise peaceful lake. He had gone there on his own after begging his grandmother to study abroad. He was going to school to work for the Alliance. He was going to shadow one of the engineers at one of the AA guns.

It wasn't his ideal job, but adrift without purpose, but it was something he wasn't terrible at. He figured he could focus on hobbies on his downtime. It wouldn't be a bad life, especially now that he could have his own place somewhere far from where he once knew.

The real reason he wanted to leave was because he wanted to train up the skill he figured out he had. It dawned on him when he was in his preteens that what he could do was out of the norm. But he grew up hearing about biotics. The greatest were often subjected to horrible things in the pursuit of pushing past the limits of most humans. He didn't want that sort of treatment; he always kept quiet about his aura. His grandmother, when he was young, always dismissed his perceptions as feverish hallucinations. He was glad.

He was willing to push himself to go past his limits. But he wanted it own his own terms, no tests or studies he didn't want.

But soon Derek crashed back to reality, with the door opening in front of him. He pressed the button to go the next floor, the elevator door closing as the lift shook somewhat with movement.

The next few moments of silence allowed him, unfortunately, to continue on his train of thought. It was a few days before the batarians came. The AA systems weren't ready at all, and the military presence was scattered. They were taken by surprise and it was a rather quick ordeal. He was one of the first grabbed, but he saw his share of horrors. A few that resisted hard enough were executed.

But the lift door opened, giving the ether seer the reality check he needed. He made his way to the cargo hold, and it was pretty big. It was certainly large enough to store a Mako and have plenty of room for more. He saw Wrex standing, staring aimlessly as he leaned against the wall. Off to the right was Garrus, fiddling with something on the Mako. Closer was Ashley Williams, messing with one of her own guns.

Derek walked closer, giving a small and awkward wave. Ashley was the first to notice, giving a smile as she looked up from her work. "Hey, Derek."

Wrex slowly turned his head and gave a grunt. Garrus looked behind him and gave a nod. "Hello." The turian said.

Ashley turned completely from the amory. "What brings you here? Your stuff's already in your locker."

Derek rubbed the back of his neck. "Well. I asked Shepard for an open place to practice projecting my aura. He suggested the cargo hold."

Ashely nodded. "I… see. I guess it'll be interesting to see. I mean, I'm used to biotics, but… I've never really seen something so… mystical. At least up close."

Garrus shrugged. "As long as it's not too loud. I do need a certain amount of peace and quiet." He tapped the gun of the Mako. "Calibrations."

Wrex shrugs. "I couldn't care less. Just don't kill us or bring evil spirits or whatever it is you do."

Ashely grimaced.

Derek let out a small laugh, willowy frame moving slightly as he shifted his weight from hip to hip. "I'll try to keep that in mind. Any target dummies on the Normandy? I can deal if we don't, but they'd be nice."

Wrex pushed himself from the wall. He stepped to stand in front of the ether seer. "Target practice, huh? I'm curious. Shoot whatever it is you got at my gut. Impress me, pyjak." He egged on the young adult with a jerk of the head, a savage grin plastered on his face.

Derek grinned. "Alright. You asked for it, I guess." Wrex snorted at the last couple of words, as Derek held out a hand. He concentrated as he projected his aura forward, letting it gather at his hand. The bluish energy pulsed as the seer shaped it. Unlike before, he shaped it for blunt force rather than piercing power.

He let loose the missile. The sphere of energy sped towards the krogan, the bolt striking him in the gut. A loud, short grunt was heard as Wrex was pushed back a few meters, the battlemaster doubling over and coming to a knee. He looked up and gave a shit-eating grin. "That all, pyjak?"

Derek shook his head. "Nah. Normally I shape it to pierce. If I did that, you'd be dead."

The krogan snorted as he rose up once more. "Pierce my heart. It'll only slow me down. Redundant organ systems are a bitch. At least for everyone but the krogan." He laughs heartily, his tone jovial when he spoke next, "But don't beat yourself up, pyjak. I figured the Commander didn't hire you to arm wrestle thresher maws with magic powers. We have our roles."

The ether seer snickered. "Thanks for the pep talk, but I know my place. What I do can save lives, and prevent those situations in the first place."

Wrex leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as he eyed the young man critically. "You look like a baby pyjak but you speak like half a krogan. Get a real quad and I might actually like you." He snickered. "Stop justifying yourself."

Garrus shrugged to himself. "Eh. To me, it looks like biotics. But I'm sure you have your subtle differences that make you special. Otherwise we'd just stick to Kaidan or Liara for that kind of thing."

Derek shrugs. "We'll see. Until then, I'll practice my guarding. Maybe even develop something. A theory."

Something came on their omni-tools. The crew looked to them and saw that it was a message from Shepard. It detailed that Kaidan and Wrex were to come with them to the mission on Feros.

The ether seer shrugged once more. "More time for me. I need to work on my gun aiming, too."

Ashley looked up from her gun once more at that comment. "I'll help out if you need it. Even Kaidan and Liara use their guns plenty, so it's good to get some pointers."

Wrex snorted once more. "If baby pyjak needs shooting lessons, he should learn from the best."

Garrus then looked up from his calibrations. "Good suggestion, Wrex. I could use the time away from my calibrations." The smug tone could be heard through his subharmonics.

Derek let out a small laugh at the exchange, crossing his arms as the three then started to verbally compete to prove they were the best.

_This might have been the right choice, after all._


	8. Chapter 8

**Perceptions**

Chapter Eight: The First Test

Shepard, Liara, and Kaidan had left the ship to do their mission on Feros an hour ago. The rest of the Normandy was pretty quiet. Everyone seemed engrossed in their work, which left Derek to his own devices after Ashley and he finished with basic pointers on how to use a pistol. Admittedly, a lot of what she said was stuff he already knew, but he did learn a few neat things. He figured out how to get a gun to fire without using heat sinks in case it really got down to it. Though she did warn of doing so, as that will definitely damage the weapon if done too much.

Wrex then tried to get him to use a shotgun. Derek did about as well as one would expect a gangly, still somewhat malnourished person would do with recoil. Wrex grumbled afterwards, grumbling something about a 'man emergency' and promises to bulk the skinny man up.

Garrus worked strictly on aim, and how to do it faster and more accurately. Derek even tried a sniper rifle. Derek had to hand it to Shepard, he found the most helpful aliens he had ever seen. While the accomplishments weren't greatly substantial, it was nice to know the crew was willing to work with him on his weaknesses.

Though now, he was free to practice what he was best at. While there were indeed targets for target practice, they weren't cut out for what he was developing. Instead, he decided to experiment. He took in a deep breath while sitting back in a chair, and focused his inner ether into a hand. His head moved around, seeing outlines of the three crewmates in the black void of his eyelids. He locked on, sending a very, very small and very weak bolt of ether at the large outline. He grit his teeth, concentrating on his bolt. He was able to move the weak bolt mid flight, able to direct the bolt. Instead of reaching its destination, the krogan, it moved to tap the turian on the back of the head.

Garrus looked back, mandibles twitching oddly. "Wh-." He looks around. "Did someone need something?"

Derek grinned. This was a breakthrough, as far as he cared. He can control his missiles mid-flight. What's better, he cause use the auras he sees to aim better.

Garrus rolled his eyes when he looked at Derek. "Very funny."

The ether seer snickered. "I assure you. This is all very valuable intel. Every prank is actually a breakthrough." He laughs again.

It was then that Joker came on in the speakers. "Uh. We got crazy people trying to claw the door open. Something about them being controlled by a crazy plant monster."

Derek rose from his seat and started to go towards the lift. "Sounds like we're on cleanup duty."

Garrus tore himself from his calibrations and started to follow. "Don't think you can play solo hero. Let's just see what's going on."

Wrex pushed himself from the wall. "Sounds fun."

Ashley shook her head as she headed to the lift as well. "I don't like this. Where's Shepard in all this?"

Derek pushed a button and closed the lift door. It started to move agonizingly slow. Wrex snickered. "What about him? I'm sure he's handling himself with the others. Now we can have fun." The krogan rumbled.

The lift door opened after a while, the four rushing towards the bridge and the door near the end.

Joker spun around and widened his eyes. "Uh. Are you sure? Shepard specifically asked we don't kill these guys. So… if you can just knock them out before they fill you with holes, I can let you out. But I'm sure Shepard can handle this."

Derek took in a deep breath. He closed his eyes and looked out the door. "I can see four clawing at the doors. I can't tell if they're armed, but their auras are… off. They're muted."

Chuck came in on radio. "Good catch, Derek. They're controlled by the Thorian, a giant plant monster. We're currently trying to subdue them without using lethal force."

Joker then piped up. "Ship cameras have them on sight. They're armed."

It was then Tali'Zorah arrived. "So how do we resolve this?"

Derek took in a deep breath once more. "I think I have a plan. Wrex, you have biotics, right?"

Wrex shrugged. "Yeah. And?"

The ether seer grinned. "I'll put an aura guard at the exit. It'll be just strong enough to block a bullet or two. I can… try to open a hole in the defenses. I'll aim for where their head it. Try and knock them out."

Ashley blinked. "And the rest of us?"

Derek shrugged. "If they run out of clips, knock them out. Until then, we try it this way. Joker, open the door on my mark." He then raised his hand, projecting his aura outward. The blue energy gathers as mist at the door, and forms as a barrier the covers it. "Alright, Wrex. When a hole opens, send something through."

He closed his eyes once more, and got a picture of the colonists' outlines in his head. "Now, Joker."

Joker did as told, and opened the door. There were four colonists as the ether seer said, and at the first sight of the crew, they started shooting. The bullets fell to the ground after hitting the barrier.

The ether seer opened a hole in the barrier, the colonist's head clearly visible. Wrex threw his arm, his form glowing, the colonist flying to the side and hitting the wall. He crumpled, but still looked as if he were breathing. Derek sealed the hole, keeping his barrier up easily.

"Nice arc." Derek said. Though, he jumped slightly. He could feel the aura wall crack, one of the bullets stuck in the wall. "One more, and I'll need the door closed." He said to Joker. "Another hole." He shouted, as one opened up again. Wrex sent out another blast of biotic energy towards a colonist, the controlled man knocked out as he went flying back. His body lay limply on the ground.

Joker closed the door. The young man inhaled deeply, drawing his aura back into him.

Tali spoke up. "I thought using your aura didn't use energy. Why did we need to stop?"

Derek then reached out once more, reapplying the wall to the door. "The wall's integrity was weakening. When something strikes it, the energy comes loose and returns to me. A few more bullets and we might have had some problems. Alright. Two more. Joker, open up the door."

The door opened again. The two colonists started shooting once more at the barrier. "Hole on the left one, Wrex." Derek said as the did as such. Wrex let out a roar and sent another blast of force into it, and knocked the woman cold.

"Give me a second." The krogan said. "I need to cool down a bit."

The ether seer nodded. "I can handle the last one." He said, opening a hole. He then used the ether he removed, the bolt of energy striking the man in the head. He fell like the rest. Derek kept the ether wall up, looking for any more colonists.

Shepard came in on radio again. "What's the Normandy's status?"

Joker spoke. "Hostiles were subdued at the Normandy. You?"

Chuck replied. "That should be all, then. Are yours alive?"

The ether seer took down the wall, rushing to check the vitals of one of the colonists. The others did the same.

Soon the Commander arrived on the scene. "Any injuries to report?"

Derek rose. "It seems only a few concussions on the side of the colonists."

Wrex huffed. "I didn't even get to shoot any of them. Wasted effort for me."

Tali spoke up, patting the old krogan on the shoulder. "But what you did saved their lives. We don't always need to kill them, especially if we don't have to."

Shepard grinned. "Good job, crew. Don't know what I'd do without you."

Kaidan and Liara arrived, at this point. "No significant injuries to report among the colonists." The asari said.

The Commander nodded. "Alright. We'll make sure the colony can still function before we leave. Joker, prep the ship for takeoff soon. The rest of you are dismissed."

"Aye aye, cap." The pilot said in response.

The ether seer stepped back into the ship with the others, getting a few pats on the shoulder from various crewmembers.

Garrus was the first to speak. "That was some quick thinking, Derek. Anything else and we'd either have to potentially kill the humans or let Shepard do all the heavy lifting."

Derek grinned. "Thanks, Garrus. I'll continue my training. Who knows what I'll learn?" He was then at the lift, opening the door. He stepped inside and looked around.

'_Who knows what I'll do if I actually get taken along?' He thought idly._


	9. Chapter 9

**Perceptions**

Chapter Nine: Selected

Derek was in the crew's lounge, leaning back against the chair as he stared down a bowl of cereal. It seems the Normandy's pantry wasn't merely just bare-bones military provisions. At least, right now it wasn't. He took the spoon and started eating. They were cornflakes, but they weren't stale. The milk tasted fresh, and it made him happy. Good meals were hard to come by in the mines, their diets were at the mercy of the batarians with the scraps they had leftover.

It was then he got a message on him omni-tool. It detailed the next mission. It was going to be on a planet called Noveria, a wintery planet filled with businessmen. They were going to try and find the asari Matriarch Benezia. Though Derek's eyes were primarily drawn to the bottom, where it said who was coming with Shepard. The ether seer's eyes widened when he saw that he was one of the two that was going on the mission. The other person coming along was Garrus.

He pumped his fist. "Yes! I get to come along on the mission."

Kaidan leaned over from the other side of the small wall. "It seems you've earned the Commander's trust. I think it's a bit early, but it seems like you impressed him with the reports that came after Feros."

The teen shrugged. "I suppose. Thanks." It was after he said that when he heard a ping on his omni-tool. He looked and saw it was a text message from

Shepard. Derek read it, and blinked. "Oh. It seems Shepard wants to meet me in his cabin again. I think it might have to do with the mission."

Kaidan turned and started to walk towards the main battery. "I got'cha. I'll see you later, Derek."

Derek nodded. "See ya', Kaidan." He then walked towards the lift door, and pressed the button to summon the elevator.

The lift door opened, letting the seer walk inside. His stomach was once again a knot, the young man suddenly a bundle of nerves at the thought if his first mission. It was different from the times he just suddenly jumped in, he wasn't expected to do anything. Sure, the pressure was on, but now it was expected. For some reason, the thought along made it harder to process doing such thing.

But as the lift stopped, the errant thoughts faded away. The door opened to reveal Shepard's personal quarters. Derek stepped inside, and looked around. Sitting in his desk was the Commander, who turned to look at Derek. What the ether seer found surprising was that Shepard was in civilian clothes for the first time, at least around Derek. He wore a jacket, black with the N7 logo on it with black pants.

Chuck propelled himself to the side on his chair with wheels, and grabbed a folding chair. He set it down and patted the seat. "Take a seat." He said.

Derek nodded, and sat on the chair provided for him. Shepard turned and faced the seer, letting his hands rest on his legs. "So, Derek." He started, eyeing the young man critically. "I assume you saw the mission update. You're alright with heading out with us, yes?"

The ether seer nodded. "Of course. I've had a few days to practice, and I've gotten a few tips on my marksmanship."

Shepard thinned his lips. "You'll need more than that to deal with our odds. But Noveria should be a lighter mission. It's a business planet, and we're looking for an asari matriarch. We shouldn't run into too much trouble, so it'd be a good trial mission."

Derek gave a small nod, leaning on the back of his chair. "Of course, Shepard. I guess I need to prove myself out there before I face geth armies."

Chuck shrugged. "That's a good way to put it. But that's not the only reason I called you up here. I like to get to know my crew. What was your life like before the… incident?"

Derek blinks. "I was sent to a colony out in the Terminus Systems about maybe a week before the attack. I was going to shadow one of the engineers at the AA guns. We were close to setting them up before the attack happened, funny enough." He rubbed the back of his neck.

Shepard nodded. "I see. You wanted to be an engineer?"

The seer pursed his lips and shrugged. "Want's a strong word. I'd say I decided it'd be best to find something that'd put food on the table. I wasn't terrible at math, so I decided that I'd try to find work in the colonies. It got me the freedom that I wanted at that point. Grandma was kind of strict, but she was fair."

The Commander tilted his head. "Who did you live with? What happened to your parents?"

Derek let out a small exhale, before he shrunk back into his chair. "Well. My grandmother never told me. Ever since I could remember, I lived with her. She never knew where they went, and it made her sad to talk about it. My grandfather passed on a year after I was born."

Chuck frowned at that. "I see. Did she know about your ability to see auras?"

Derek brought up his legs, and sat cross-legged on the chair. "I used to talk about it when I was young. She thought they were just hallucinations. She always took my temperature after I did. She figured I must have had a fever. But soon enough, I kept quiet about it. I always heard stories at school. They were about kids who could do stuff with their minds, and when they found out they were taken away to do other stuff. Some of the stories were… not so pleasant. So I hid my abilities. I didn't want to end up like one of them, sitting in a lab and being subjected to painful testing. I wanted to be normal."

Shepard reached out and patted Derek's shoulder. "I assure you. The Alliance had always done good thing with biotics. Kaidan Alenko was one of the students in the Ascension program, and even with an experimental amp, he made it out fine."

Derek initially shrunk back further at the touch, but he took in a deep breath and leaned forward somewhat. "I… guess. But I'd still feel more comfortable finding this out for myself, the whole ether thing. If I go at my own pace and figure out things they could use… I might come forward with it. But until then, I want to test my own limits. You guys seem trustworthy." He nodded. "Especially you, Shepard. You're really nice."

The Commander gave the seer another pat. He gave a warm grin that bristled his mustache just slightly. "Thanks, Derek. I'm glad you're happy with the crew, so far. If you're as resilient and resourceful as I think you are, I know the crew will be just as happy to have you along in and out of the battlefield." He pulled himself up from his chair, stretching his arms with a groan. "I'm going to suit up. We have thirty minutes before we land on Noveria. I suggest you do the same. We might even have that new armor broken in by the time we get what we need to do done."

Derek nodded, and rose up as well. "Thanks for the talk, Shepard." He said, as he walked to the lift. He gave a smile, lighting up his youthful face despite the recovering marring of malnutrition.

Shepard nodded. "Always here if you need me." He turned and opened his locker, taking out various padded underclothes. Derek stepped inside, but waited to press anything, feigning ignorance on the interface.

He saw his Commander take his jacket and shirt off, getting a brief glimpse of his body before he pressed a button on the console absently. He drank in the soldier's physique, a thick torso dusted with red hair. The image was burned in his head as the lifted moved downwards, making sure that image stayed in his mind. His abdomen was strong, but it wasn't a washboard set of abs. Everything was firm, but not rock-hard. Derek felt his face heat up, as the seer gulped.

_The knot in the pit of his gut was back. Oh joy._


	10. Chapter 10

**Percpetions**

Chapter Ten: Geth Interests

Chuck Shepard ushered his squad out of the door of the Normandy, and into the docks. He rubbed his face and looked to his companions.

Garrus simply nodded at his Commander, and then looked to Derek. "That armor starting to get heavy, rookie?"

Derek shrugged. His walking was a little stiffer than he liked, but otherwise he seemed to be looking acceptable. "It's alright. I can touch my toes. In the end, that's all that matters."

The Commander gave a laugh. "I'd hope so."

As Derek saw the entrance to the rest of the building, two women stopped the three. One spoke, a harsh but youthful voice cutting through their chatter. "That's far enough." She said.

Chuck raised his hands to chest level. "We're not here to cause problems."

The dark haired woman spoke again. "This is an unscheduled arrival. I'm going to need some credentials."

The Commander nodded. "I'm a Council Spectre. My name is Charles Shepard."

The blonde woman next to the officer interjected. "Load of horsecrap ma'am."

The dark haired woman gave the other an uneasy stare, but she looked to Shepard as she acknowledged her statement. "We will need to confirm that." She said. "I also must advise you that firearms are not permitted on Noveria." She looked to her coworker. "Sergeant Sterline, secure their weapons."

But as the blonde woman started to approach, Shepard and Garrus pulled their pistols on the women, the others doing the same. Derek widened his eyes, looking between the two groups as he reached for his own.

Garrus spoke up. "It's not exactly wise to search for Geth unarmed."

Shepard gave a tense stare, looking from the women to his squad. He lowers his gun, the other two mimicking. "Stand down. Their house, their rules."

Garrus muttered. "So you'll be my makeshift cover, then? Hell, Derek can join in. He's skinny enough."

A canned voice from the speakers echoes through the docks. "Captain Matsuo, stand down. We confirmed their identity. Spectres are allowed to carry weapons here."

The Captain narrowed her eyes. "You may proceed, Spectre. I hope the rest of your visit will not be as confrontational. Parasini-san will meet you upstairs. Behave yourself." She said, as the two moved out of the squad's way.

The cylindrical looking door split open, as Derek ran a hand through his blood red hair. "So… are we going to talk about the fact we immediately pulled our guns on them, or…?"

Garrus spoke. "I suppose we should thank the person who called out for calling her attack dogs off. That was almost frightful."

Derek blinked. His jaw dropped as they walked up the stairs. "But..."

Shepard nodded. "It's a very uptight, business sort of place. A lot of rules. Expect to navigate loopholes."

Derek flatted his lips. "Alright. So I'm just the weird one."

Floating scanners started to emit a loud, harsh noise along with a verbal warning for detected weapons.

A darker skinned woman in a slim pink dress spoke. "Those are just the weapons scanners, don't mind them." She said, as Shepard reached the counter. "My name is Gianna Parasini, assistant to Anoleis. I apologize for the incident at the docking bay."

Chuck gave a warm smile as he usually did, and a curt nod. "I appreciate your help."

Parasini nodded. "You're welcome. You have to understand that our Security Chief was only doing her job. One of my jobs is orientation of new arrivals. Do you have any questions?"

Chuck nodded. "Mm. Has anyone unusual passed through here, recently?"

The woman blinked at the question. "Well, an asari matriarch came through a few days ago. Lady Benezia."

Shepard crossed his arms. "Can I speak with her?" He asked.

The assistant replied, "Benezia left for the Peak 15 research facility days ago. To the best of my knowledge, she's still there."

Shepard's face was far less tense, letting out a sigh of relief. "Could you tell me how to get me there?"

Parasini gestured towards the next entrance. "You will need to speak to Administrator Anoleis for clearance."

Chuck quirked a brow. "Where can we find the admisitrator?"

She gave a nod. "His office is on the main floor. Left at the top of the elevator."

Shepard waved as he turned to walk away. "Your assistance is appreciated." Derek and Garrus followed their Commander, as they walked past the door and into the elevator. Shepard activated the lift, the center of gravity falling as the sinking feeling came back. Another canned voice, a man resonated in the elevator. It was clear it was a recording, and Derek didn't bother to pay attention to the words.

The elevator door opened, the squad walking out and heading to the left as the woman said to. It seemed Shepard was focused more on the mission, than anything.

At the desk of the room ahead was Parasini again, curiously. "Hello again, Shepard." She smiled.

The Commander placed one of his hands on the desk and leaned on it. "I'd like to see the Administrator."

Gianna nodded. "Of course, one moment." She pressed a button, and held it down. "Mr. Anoleis?"

A nasal, jittery voice replied. "What, what? Yes?"

"Commander Shepard is asking to see you, sir." Parasini said back.

Anoleis spoke again. "Right, fine. Sure. Come in."

Shepard gave a grateful smile, and pushed himself from the desk he was leaning on. He beckoned his squad again, the two following Shepard to the Administrator's office.

Inside the room was a salarian at the desk. He looked to Shepard, then to the two others. Anoleis narrowed his eyes a Derek. "I asked for Shepard. Not for children and bodyguards. I will ask that the meeting be between Shepard and I."

Garrus snorted, while Derek crossed his arms. Chuck raised his hand up. "You two can wait outside. This won't be long, hopefully." The Commander said.

Derek glowered and stomped out of the room, Garrus following with a shrug. The door closed.

The seer grumbled to himself. "The nerve of that guy."

Garrus shrugged. "I'm sure he has his…." He trailed off, before shaking his head. "Nah. He's a jackass. But Shepard can deal with jackasses. He can charm things he can't shoot, and he can sure as hell shoot things he can't charm. I guess that's why he's the Commander."

Derek took the time Garrus was taking to talk to size the turian's aura up. It was suppressed somewhat, but what raged inside was a desire to do good. He understood a bit more the gripes the C-Sec agent had on his station. "I suppose he can." The seer replied. "How long have you been working with him?"

The turian leaned against the wall. "Not too long. But you don't need long to see what Shepard does best." He crosses his arms. "But I'm sure you've seen some of it."

Derek snickered. "He's a good shot. He also carries like… five weapons around. I'm pretty sure he could punch out an elcor, too."

Garrus laughed to himself. "That last one's a new one. Maybe if an elcor Spectre decides to go crazy, we'll find out."

The door opened. Shepard looked to his two squadmates as he walked out of his room. A brow briefly creased in consternation lifted as he relaxed. "Don't follow, for now. It's better if I try and do this alone. I need to apply a bit of subtlety to what I'm about to do." He then walked off, turning his head briefly to address his squad again. "I'll radio you when I'm done."

Garrus uncrossed his arms, mandibles twitching. His beady eyes narrowed. "Strange. I've never thought Shepard one to approach anything besides conversation with tact. Whatever that salarian said struck something, because I've never known him to hide anything."

Derek shrugged. "That's strange, then. Maybe he doesn't want to get seen so he doesn't have to kill." He tilted his head at Garrus. "I assume he's the type of guy to minimalize casualties."

"That he is." Said Garrus.

'_Odd fellow, my Commander.' Thought the seer._


	11. Chapter 11

**Perceptions**

Chapter Eleven: The Road to Peak 15

The engines of the Mako hummed, as Derek squirmed in his seat. He strapped in, looking to Shepard and Garrus as they settled in the front. The mystic let his hands rest on the padded seating, fingers clenching as he gulped. One minute Chuck was off dealing with something by himself, the next he was back with a garage pass and asking the turian for some spare heat clips.

But now the Commander was finished starting up the engines, and he was starting to roll out of the garage. What Derek could see of the monitoring screen up front was enough to see the frozen tundra they were about to traverse. The blizzard was intense, and he was glad they had something like the Mako to get them across. That was, at least, until Garrus opened his mouth.

"So. I heard some horror stories from Liara about your driving." The turian said, as he leaned back in the seat.

Shepard snorted, as they were on the road. What shock absorption the vehicle had did not seem like much with the shake that rocked Derek back and forth. Shepard then spoke, "I got'em out alive. We'll probably do better. You'll be on guns, Garrus."

The turian laughed. "We better. I calibrated them myself. Though, it doesn't help this thing handles like a drunk krogan."

Derek shrunk back in his seat, though he did lean to the side to get a better view of the monitor. He stayed quiet, lips thinned as he took in deep breaths to relieve knots in his stomach.

Garrus looked to the screen and reached for his own controls. "Hostiles ahead." He said, as he started pressing buttons on the display dashboard. The crack and rumble of the large gun shook the seat Derek was sitting on. The rattle of the turret that ensued was followed by Garrus's confirmation, "Armature terminated."

This continued on for several minutes. The nervous knot that dwelled in in the pit of his gut dulled, but it never quite washed away. His hands clawed at the seats, but he remained silent.

It was when the driving clamed and the hostiles thin when the Commander spoke suddenly, his booming baritone startling the seer, "Relax, Derek. Everything is going as expected. You will do fine." He says, as the Mako came to a stop. "I promise. You do what you've shown me earlier, and you'll do just fine here." He presses a few more buttons on the display, opening the doors for the three. Shepard and Garrus climb out, Derek following behind.

The biting cold slapped the seer right in the face. Everything was numb, his thanks slurred by the sensations he felt. Garrus punched a few buttons at the door before it opened, the squad venturing inside.

Derek gnashed his teeth, focusing the willpower not to shiver once he was in the interior of the building. It thankfully felt much warmer than the outside, but everything looked cold. The grey palette with dull material gave the feeling that nothing pleasant was done here. As they continued, very large a garage door opened suddenly.

Shepard ran for cover after a cursory glance. "Geth!" He shouted.

Garrus split off to another piece of cover. Derek instinctively ran towards a large set of solid looking crates. He peeked quickly to assess the situation. There were two geth, one larger than the other. To their left was a krogan. From the way Garrus was aiming and shooting, there were hostiles on the balcony. Derek pulled out his pistol, looking to two of the synthetics and popped out of cover to aim. He pulled the trigger three times, each bullet more inaccurate than the first thanks to the recoil. The seer only managed to scuff the shields of a geth trooper with one of his shots. He, however, jerked back as he felt an impact. He twitched back into cover, taking shallow and rapid breaths. But a flash on his omni-tool reassured him that his shields were a factor, and that one error wasn't fatal.

He popped out of cover after a few seconds of waiting, and he saw that the two geth were getting closer. Shepard and Garrus seemed busy with the hectic balcony, as the Commander shouted, "Derek! I need suppressing fire at your ten! Keep them off us!"

Derek took in a deep breath, and started firing once more. He was adjusting to the recoil, as he trained himself to do in his short time at the 'firing range' of the ship. But his accuracy made sure his efforts were only enough to distract the robots. They pointed their rifles at the seer, as he ducked behind the crates. He closed his eyes briefly and focused his aura into his hand, the azure energy starting to rattle as it took its form. He popped after cover as soon as the sounds of fire stopped from the general direction of the geth.

The ether that left his hand barreled at high speed, pointed at end as it pierced the geth's headlight. The machine crumpled to the ground, motionless. The other continued its advanced, not more than a few meters from Shepard and Garrus as its rifle sprayed its projectile death.

The seer widened his eyes, as his squad suddenly turned with the realization they were flanked. He acted on instinct, and took the energy that lingered near the geth and directed it in front of the machine. Vivid energy takes form of a wall, stopping the assault. The ether user directed more of his aura at the geth, boxing it in on all sides with walls that formed a cube. He let his arms raise up. He then let them come crashing in an inward motion, the crushing force of the walls coming together. It left the geth crumpled on the ground, unresponsive. All the while, the other two finished up with the enemies up above.

But Derek let one important thing slip his mind.

His shields were his saving grace as he felt himself launched, the shattering sounds of shields failing was the only thing he could process as he hit the ground. The krogan Derek forgot about stood over the young adult. He desperately, silently called for his aura to rush back to him. The giant of a person aimed his shotgun, as Derek shouted, "Help!"

A quick, uneven barrier of Aura hastily formed was what separated him from a spray of hot death, though Derek was sure it would not last a second shot. Before he could reach for his pistol, the krogan stumbled, shambled, and fell. From his eye socket came blood, the turian's sniper rifle smoking at the barrel.

Derek let his aura return to him, taking in a deep breath as Charles was already there, offering a hand. The seer took it, giving a small smile and a brief thanks.

Shepard let a hand linger on the ether user's lightly armored shoulder. "You need to count up your enemies every time you look up. Getting flanked is a surefire way to die in a firefight." He started to move forward. "C'mon, before reinforcements arrive."

"_Thank god, I can at least function." Derek thought._


End file.
